Automated proxy picker system for non-fungible goods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12175405-B2
Application number	US-202318217787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2023
Priority date	Jan 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for providing proxy picking of non-fungible goods within an automated storage and retrieval system is provided, which repurposes one or more automated mobile robots operating within the automated inventory management system to perform a plurality of tasks across multiple different areas of an automated store. The proxy picking system and method are configured to pick individually identified non-fungible goods according to a customer selection on an ordering screen based on measured attributes and images of the goods, the attributes selected by the customer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated system, comprising:
an automated decanting station for receiving new inventory into the automated system, the new inventory comprising non-fungible goods, the automated decanting station comprising a plurality of sensors for sensing attribute data about different ones of a plurality of same-type non-fungible goods, the sensed attribute data comprising:
an image of each of the non-fungible goods, and
one or more of a firmness of each of the non-fungible goods, defects in each of the non-fungible goods, a weight of each of the non-fungible goods, and an odor of each of the non-fungible goods;

a plurality of totes having locations therein to fit non-fungible goods of different and identified shapes and sizes, non-fungible goods from the automated decanting station being loaded to corresponding ones of the locations based on the shape and size of the non-fungible goods;
a plurality of storage locations for storing the plurality of totes including the non-fungible goods; and
a central control system (CCS) configured to:
store the attribute data;
publish the attribute data for each of the plurality of same-type non-fungible goods for review by customers, and presenting an option to choose between any of the plurality of same-type non-fungible goods;
receive an order for a particular non-fungible good of the plurality of same-type non-fungible goods based on a customer reviewing the attribute data for the plurality of same-type non-fungible goods; and
direct retrieval of the particular non-fungible good upon receipt of the order from a storage location where the particular non-fungible good is stored by an automated fulfillment system.

2. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein the CCS stores an identity of the location and tote in association with the particular non-fungible good.

3. The automated system of claim 2 , wherein the CCS stores a location of the particular non-fungible good in the tote relative to other non-fungible goods in the tote.

4. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein the CCS assigns each of the plurality of non-fungible goods a unique identifier, the CCS identifying the unique identifier of the particular non-fungible good in the received order, identifying the storage location for the particular non-fungible good with that unique identifier, and directing retrieval of the particular non-fungible good with that unique identifier by the automated fulfillment system.

5. The automated system of claim 1 , the CCS comprising or in communication with a server configured to present a graphical display including the attribute data for each of the plurality of non-fungible goods.

6. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein, in directing retrieval of the particular non-fungible good from the storage location, the CCS tasks a mobile robot to travel to the storage location where the tote is stored to retrieve the particular non-fungible good.

7. The automated system of claim 6 , wherein the tote is a first tote, the automated system further comprising a picking station wherein the particular non-fungible good is transferred from the first tote to a second tote.

8. The automated system of claim 7 , further comprising a proxy picker for transferring the particular non-fungible good from the first tote to the second tote.

9. The automated system of claim 7 , wherein other items ordered by the customer in addition to the particular non-fungible good are transferred into the second tote at the picking station.

10. The automated system of claim 9 , wherein the other items comprise fungible and/or non-fungible goods retrieved from the storage locations of the order fulfillment system.

11. The automated system of claim 10 , further comprising a delivery fulfillment system receiving the second tote comprising at least the particular non-fungible good.

12. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein the locations in at least one of the plurality of totes comprise one or more sub-totes.

13. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein the locations in at least one of the plurality of totes comprise a grid compartment, a slot, or a tube.

14. The automated system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of totes comprises a grid compartment, a slot, or a tube.

15. An automated system, comprising:
a plurality of totes having locations therein to fit a plurality of non-fungible goods of different and identified shapes and sizes, select ones of the non-fungible goods of the plurality of non-fungible goods being loaded to corresponding ones of the locations based on the shape and size of the non-fungible goods;
a storage area for storing the plurality of totes; and
a central control system (CCS) configured to:
store attribute data relating to attributes of each of the plurality of non-fungible goods, the plurality of non-fungible goods each being the same type of non-fungible good, the attribute data enabling a customer to distinguish between different non-fungible goods of the plurality of fungible goods;
publish the attribute data for each of the plurality of non-fungible goods for review by customers;
receive an order from a customer including desired attributes for a non-fungible good the customer wishes to purchase;
distinguish between different ones of the same-type non-fungible goods to identify which one of the same-type non-fungible goods in stock most closely matches with the desired attributes in the order from the customer; and
direct retrieval of the identified, closest match non-fungible good upon receipt of the order from a storage location where the non-fungible good is stored by an automated fulfillment system.

16. The automated system of claim 15 , wherein the order received from a customer further comprises a weighting of the desired attributes, which weighting is used by the CCS in determining the non-fungible good for customer purchase.

17. The automated system of claim 15 , wherein the non-fungible good is stored at a given location of a given tote, the CCS storing the given location of the non-fungible good in the container.

18. The automated system of claim 15 , wherein the CCS assigns each of the plurality of non-fungible goods a unique identifier, the CCS identifying the unique identifier of the non-fungible good determined for purchase, identifying the storage location for the non-fungible good with that unique identifier, and directing retrieval of the non-fungible good with that unique identifier by the automated fulfillment system.

19. The automated system of claim 15 , wherein, in directing retrieval of the non-fungible good from the storage location, the CCS tasks a mobile robot to travel to the storage location where the tote is stored to retrieve the non-fungible good.

20. The automated system of claim 15 , wherein the non-fungible goods are stored in a first tote at the storage location, the automated system further comprising a picking station receiving the first tote upon determining the non-fungible good for purchase by the customer and transferring the non-fungible good from the first tote to a container customized with the customer's order.

21. The automated system of claim 20 , further comprising a proxy picker for transferring the non-fungible good from the first tote to the container.

22. The automated system of claim 15 , the CCS comprising or in communication with a server configured to present a graphical display including the attribute data for each of the plurality of non-fungible go

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Lert Jr John G
• Fosnight William J

Classifications

• G06Q30/0643

  graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation · CPC title

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0623 Primary

  by investigating goods or services · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• B65G47/90

  Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials · CPC title